How to Coach Yourself and Others Coaching Families | Page 43

There are four important BSFT steps:
Step 1: Organize a counsellor-family work team.
Development of a therapeutic alliance with each family member and with the family as a whole is
essential for BSFT. This requires counsellors to accept and demonstrate respect for each individual family
member and the family as a whole.
Step 2: Diagnose family strengths and problem relations.
Emphasis is on family relations that are supportive and problem relations that affect youths’ behaviours or
interfere with parental figures’ ability to correct those behaviours.
Step 3: Develop a change strategy
Develop a change strategy to capitalize on strengths and correct problematic family relations,
thereby increasing family competence. In BSFT, the counsellor is plan- and problem-focused,
direction-oriented (i.e., moving from problematic to competent interactions), and practical.
Step 4: Implement change strategies and reinforce family behaviours that sustain new levels of family
competence.
Important change strategies include reframing to change the meaning of interactions; changing alliances
and shifting interpersonal boundaries; building conflict resolution skills; and providing parenting guidance
and coaching.
BARRIERS AND PROBLEMS
Problem: The most common problem is engaging and retaining whole families in treatment.
Solution: Specialized engagement strategies have been developed to deal with the problem.
Problem: A common problem in implementing a whole-family intervention involves limited availability of
family members.
Solution: Sessions often must occur during evening hours and on weekends.

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